Improvement in brick-machines



2 sheets--sheet 1.

Patented July 9,1872.

I... LW. L .41.. un l... |hr.v 3 333333333333323 Y Z. LUDINGTON.Improvement in Brick-Machines.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

Patented` July 9,1872.A

Z. LUDINGTON.

Improvement n Brick-Machines. N0.128,738.

zALMoN LUDINeToN, or UNIoNTowN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMNT IN BRICK-MACHINES.

Speciiieation formingr part of Letters Patent No. 128,738, dated July 9,1872.

SPECIFICATION.

Specification describing certain Improvements in Brick-Machines,invented by ZAL- MON LUDINGTON, of Uniontown, Fayette county, in theState of Pennsylvania.

Nature and Objects of the Intention.

My invention relates-to an improvement in the manufacture of brick forbuilding purposes. ,y

In a drum or box, to be used as a receptacle for the clay, Iix averticalshaft having arms radiating from it. These arms perform the Work ofmanipulating the clay to be formed into molds located at the bottom ofsaid drum or box. The molds are made in sets of three or more each. andhave their bottoms formed into racks, which are engaged by spur-wheelsrotating about their respective shafts fixed in horizontal bearings oneither side of the machine immediately under the openings to be occupiedby the molds. At the ends of the shafts to which the spur-wheels aresecured are beveled wheels, which are engaged and driven by a pinionsecured to an iron shaft extending from the main shaft which carries thearms moving within the drum or box. The shaft having the beveled pinionattached finds its bearing ina beam which rests on or is buried in theground to. form the principal sill of the structure. In this sill orbeam are cut notches which receive the beveled wheels, and also thespur-wheels which engage the racks attached to the bottoms of the brickmolds. Two beams at right angles to the main beam have extending fromthem, toward a top horizontal beam, rods, which serve the purpose ofbraces to steady the structure. The molds have their sides formed ofwood incased in sheet metal, the purpose of said casing being to'prevent rapid wear of the molds as they are thrown in and out by theoperation of the machine. The bottoms of the molds are formed of iron orother metal, and, as before stated, have teeth racks to be engaged bytheir respective spurwheels. I attach and detach the sets of molds toform a continuous series as the sets are moved in and out by the actionof the machine. `'.lhe plates on the bottoms of the molds are extendedat one end beyond said molds and terminate in a barb-shaped hook whichts which formA into a hook or catch similar in shape at the opposite endof the next set. These barbed hooks or catches are formed on each set ofmolds, and are attached successively on either side of the machine Whilethe mill is in operation, so as to form an endless chain of molds. Themolds, when filled, are smoothed off by scrapers fixed in the bottom ofthe drum, on either side of the mill, at right angles to the course ofthe molds, and are detached as they pass out, and are carried off to bedropped on the door of the yard and returned to the other -side to beattached previous to entering again for a new supply of clay. When a setof molds is attached to a set preceding it finds a rest and bearing in arabbet,l on either side of its space, which supports it, while it iscaught and drawn forward by the spur-wheel which engages the racks underthe molds. The clay,

after being thoroughly ground, is pressed down into the molds by theshear-shaped sweeps fixed in the bottom of the main shaft of the mill.

Description of Accompany/ing Drawing.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of mill with molding device cut away online y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the machine.

Similar letters of reference refer to correspondin g parts in all of thefigures.

B is the drum or box into which the clay is to be thrown and ground. Ais the main shaft in which vare fixed the arms b b b, radiating from itsaxis, which are intended to manipulate the clay previous to its entranceinto the molds. c c c are the shear-shaped sweeps which revolve with themain shaft and press the tempered clay into the molds. D D I) are thebrick-molds, arranged in triplets, forming sets to be hooked together bymeans of the barbed shaped hooks or catches k la. h h are the racksformed on the bottom of the molds, which are engaged by the spur-wheelsG G. it are the axles of the Wheels G G having their bearings in thetimbers L M. These timbers also form rabbet bearings for the molds asthey are passed or driven through the machine by the spur-wheels G G. gis an iron shaft extending f'rom the main shaft and bearing in the beamN. The bevel-pinion E revolving about this shaft drives the bevelwheelsF F on the ends of the shafts t' and PATENT QEECE.

causes the spur-wheels G G to engage the racks h h and drive the sets ofmolds in and out of the machine in opposite directions. O is thelever-arm attached to the main shaft A, to the end of which the power isapplied to operate the machine. P P are the metal plates in the bottomof the drum which out the clay from the molds as they are passing out ofthe machine.

. Claims.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The molds D D D arranged in sets, in combination with the toothedracks formed upon their bottoms, and the spur-wheels G G', as and forthe purposes set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement of blades b b, sweeps G C, perforatedbottom, molds D D, provided with their racks h h, and end attachmentsand beveled spur-gearing, all as and for thepurpose shown and described.

ZALMON LUDINGTON.

Attest:

J As. H. SPRINGER, I. V. THOMPSON.

